[Sigia-l] It's started

[Lee Hsieh]

Ziya wrote:

> Among other things, competitors didn't/don't have:
> 
> Strategic/systems design thinking
> Amazon one-click purchasing
> Small-amount credit card aggregation
> iTunes Store
> FairPlay
> Apple stores
> Branding
> Marketing
> Ability to sustain constant R&D costs
> Volume component (especially flash) purchasing power
> 20%-30% margins
> Freedom from Microsoft formats and DRM
> Best supply chain logistics in the industry
> Taste

Your list is missing one iconic figure for which the rest would be a moot point.  There is no other company i can think of where 1 person plays such a influential role over the design process and outcome, which at times, has been at the expense of sound business practices.

imo, it is for this reason alone, that Apple products stand out among other consumer electronics.  You have a CEO who basically drives the design from concept to finish and all the collateral that goes along with it (eg, packaging, advertising, tactile/aural experience, etc).  If the story is true, the iPod was basically develped in secret between Steve, 1-developer, 1-industrial designer.  While other companies are mired in layers of management and political wrangling, you have the commander-in-chief at Apple, who has his own design aesthetic, and is willing to do whatever necessary(euphemism for ____) to realize his vision.

So in the end, other companies are at a disadvantage when it comes to cuttng edge design, as those directly involved w/design, do not either have the clout or the politcal backing to push their iniatives through the organization.

Lee